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Gold for Cate but Bronte closing in

Liam FitzGibbon

In royal company at the Commonwealth Games, the queen of sprint swimming was almost dethroned by her own sister.

On a night when Kate and William and Prince Harry were in the stands in Glasgow, world champion Cate Campbell claimed 100m freestyle gold on Monday to lead one of two Australian trifectas on the penultimate night of racing.

But, in a likely sign of things to come, she had to survive a spectacular late rally from her younger sister Bronte.

Cate was almost half a second under world record pace at the turn but the wall came just in time as she battled late to clock a Games record 52.68 seconds and finish ahead of a charging Bronte (52.86) and Emma McKeon (53.61).

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"I always knew she would (start catching me)," Cate Campbell said.

"I've seen her every day in training. I knew I had to get out fast if I had any hope of beating her.

"Hopefully we continue to push each other along because I think this is great for swimming in Australia."

After smashing her previous best time to claim bronze in the 50m freestyle final, Bronte set another PB in becoming only the third Australian - behind her sister and Libby Trickett - to break the 24-second barrier.

"It's great to race Cate but I don't make it my goal to beat her," said Bronte, two years younger than her sister at 20.

"I make it my goal to have a win for myself and coming second to Cate, that's a win for me and so is doing a good time."

Cate invited her sister and McKeon - who now has three gold and two bronze for the meet - to join her atop the podium as the national anthem was played.

It came after Mitch Larkin earlier led a one-two-three in the men's 200m backstroke final, ending the nation's 40-year drought in the event.

Larkin added to his silver in the 50m and 100m events, clocking 1:55.83 to finish ahead of Josh Beaver (1:56.19) and Matson Lawson (1:56.63).

"To share this moment with two other Aussies is fantastic," Larkin said.

Campbell and Larkin's gold and nine minor medals on Monday mean Australia will head into the final night of competition with 17 gold, 17 silver and 15 bronze.

The swim team can equal its record haul in Delhi four years ago by winning five of the eight gold medals on offer on Tuesday night.

Second-placed England made up some ground on the medal count by winning two gold and two silver and a bronze to take their medal haul in the pool to 24 - eight of each colour.

World 100m breaststroke champion Sprenger pulled himself together impressively to earn a medal in the 50m final after his struggles with his shoulder, stroke and confidence meant he failed to make the final in his pet event.

"This will remind me how strong I can be if I really put my mind to it," he said.

The royals made an impromptu visit to sit poolside at the evening session with Australian swimmer Grant Irvine getting them to pose for a photo with the team's mascot - a boxing kangaroo - prior to the session.